It Comes with a Price
by caughtinthefire
Summary: "I've been worried sick about Alex, despite that we've been relaying coded messages through Soraya. Twice now I've set aside my dignity and begged Athora for any additional updates on her — only to receive what I already know." - Kaiden's perspective, following their time together in Tia Auras. Set during Vardaesia but written before the release :)


**So this has been sitting around for a while, thought I'd post it :) Set in Vardaesia, but I haven't actually read it yet lmao (ONLY! THREE! WEEKS! TO! GO!)**

 **Disclaimer: I am not Lynette Noni**

 **Set in Kaiden's PoV. Some Kailex crap bc why not**

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As pathetic as it sounds, I already can't stand being separated from her.

It feels so surreal, sitting in Luranda's classroom after having just spent nine days in an entirely different world, with Alexandra Jennings being the only person whose lip didn't automatically curl at the sight of me. It's like a slap in the face — and not a literal one, my sister's already done that to me when she found out I wasn't dead or Claimed — to experience the staggering contrast between what I went through with Alex, and the absolute normalcy of an academy student. Well, as normal as you can get when you attend Akarnae, School of the Gifted.

I've been worried sick about Alex, despite that we've been relaying coded messages through Soraya. Twice now I've set aside my dignity and begged Athora for any additional updates on her — only to receive what I already know. The last few nights I've startled awake in the night, seized with panic when I can't detect her nearby presence. And the frequent questions about her from just about everyone aren't helping either, since they're only serving to increase my own anxiety.

Then the bell chimes, signalling it's time to move off to our next class, which just so happens to be Combat. The guys haven't taken a hint, making snide comments about myself and Alex, resulting in me walking out of the arena buzzing with agitation and utterly on edge.

Declan claps my shoulder blade as we kick back our chairs and get to our feet, join the flow of classmates filing out the classroom door. He's asked little and accepted enough, definitely not what he deserves or what can satisfy his curiosity, but he's respected my statement that he'll be told everything once Aven is six feet under. It's the same I told Jeera and Nisha, to get them off my back as well as shielding Alex. I mean, I love all three of them, but there's certain to be a little bitterness thrown her way. So I've been trying to shield her from that, as well as the endless flood of prying questions about her. And he's been good about the whole Alex thing as well — or as good as Declan can get. His smug expressions in the mornings are enough indication to leaving me dreading I've been mumbling her name in my sleep — which I definitely do _not_ need him informing her of.

The sunlight is muted and wintry as we drop off our textbooks in our dorm and start off for Combat. Not for the first time even that day, I catch myself looking around for a familiar mane of shiny chestnut hair. Then when I realise, my chest constricts.

I hope Soraya shows up with a note from her soon. Then that could calm me down — at least for a night.

Combat feels so alien without her presence. It's silent in the gaps where her low, sarcastic drawls or quiet laughter would normally fill, and there's not that balance of a level-headed female keeping the rest of us a little more in line.

I miss her, so badly it feels like a segment of me has been cleaved out. I'm constantly speculating her status: dead or alive? Safe, in harm's way, or captured? Injured or unscathed? The thoughts are constant, like a gift that can't be turned on or off, a gift like hers.

Then Karter strides in and barks the lesson's agenda, and it feels like those days before I ever knew of a girl named Alexandra Jennings. Except it doesn't.

Fighting with Nick only makes me ache for her. We were a complimentary match in a fight — both lacking any particular strategies or special manoeuvres, both relying on their own stamina as well as the momentum of the fight, both moving with a deft, unfailing swiftness. Unlike most girls, she can take hard hits or a hefty strain, and she has an underlying streak of unrelenting viciousness — undoubtedly from her time training under Niyx Raedon. She was somebody I beyond trusted to have my back, somebody I would have been honoured to train with.

But Nick's all calculation and chopping attacks. And that sort of fighting is predictable, if you know where to look for it.

} {

When Athora dismisses me later that night, there's nothing out of the ordinary as I step through the doorway he summons for me. It's only when I emerge onto the other side, completely expecting to pop out into the Library foyer, do I note the startling change in my surroundings.

I'm on my guard immediately, my body automatically tensing in anticipation of what's to come. My surroundings are a long, narrow, winding passageway, illuminated by flickering torches and lined evenly with standard mahogany doors. The adrenaline begins to trickle in, and I shift effortlessly to Jeera's gift. Having spent my whole life in close proximity to her, her gift is one I can tune into fairly seamlessly — same goes with Nisha and Declan.

But there's no spike of warning from the intuition, and it's proven why a moment later, when I hear a clatter of footfalls from behind, like they're ascending a staircase. I turn, and my shoulders sag in relief. Because there, thank God, is Alex, moving deftly towards me.

I don't hesitate to return the embrace when she jogs up and folds herself into my arms.

Disbelief replaces the adrenaline. I've been so anxious about her for days on end now, my mind brimming with endless horrible possibilities, consistently agitated and unsettled by the rumours roaming rampant about her, and to learn she's safe and unharmed is so different from what I've been dreading. But nevertheless I'm so pleased to see her, as hopelessly twitterpated I am when it comes to her.

Then Alex detaches herself from my arms, rocking back so her gaze meets mine. I resist the temptation to kiss her on the forehead or on the crown of her head, wordlessly expressing everything that's been building up inside me these last few days. But before I can speak or even move closer, a steely determination enters her eyes.

"Kaiden," she says. "I need to ask a favour of you."

My response is immediate. "Sure. What is it?"

She hesitates, exhaling deeply, before speaking. "I need you to help me break into Meya and destroy the Valispath."

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